Eccentric cycling: a gentler path to heart attack recovery?

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria * Documented history of myocardial infarction confirmed by medical records. * Qualification for stage I comprehensive inpatient cardiac rehabilitation. * Clinically stable condition allowing participation in exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation. * New York Heart Association functional class I or II. * Moderate or good exercise tolerance, defined as an exercise capacity of at least 5 metabolic equivalents, assessed during an exercise test. * No cardiovascular contraindications to exercise testing or participation in exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation. * Ability to understand the study procedures and follow the instructions provided by the study personnel. * Provision of written informed consent to participate in the study. Exclusion Criteria: * Any contraindication to exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation or exercise testing. * Acute myocardial infarction within the first 4 days before planned initiation of exercise rehabilitation. * Unstable angina. * Significant left main coronary artery stenosis considered a contraindication to exercise by the treating cardiologist. * Symptomatic cardiac arrhythmias. * Symptomatic severe aortic stenosis. * Decompensated heart failure. * Acute pulmonary embolism or pulmonary infarction. * Deep vein thrombosis. * Recent or mobile intracardiac thrombus. * Acute myocarditis, endocarditis, or pericarditis. * Aortic dissection. * Symptomatic acquired second- or third-degree atrioventricular block without appropriate cardiac pacing. * Poorly controlled arterial hypertension. * Recent stroke or transient cerebral ischemic event. * Any acute or uncontrolled non-cardiovascular condition that may interfere with exercise testing or worsen during exercise, including febrile illness, clinically significant electrolyte abnormalities, uncontrolled hyperthyroidism, or clinically significant anemia. * Physical or cognitive impairment preventing safe completion of the study procedures, exercise testing, or training intervention. * Inability or unwillingness to provide written informed consent.